A couple of weeks ago I came across a word meaning someone who dislikes language change. Despite my joy at learning that English has a word for this, I can’t for the life of me remember what the word actually is.
I’ve Googled many variants, tried reverse dictionary, and am now crawling through a list of more than 1200 words ending in ‑ist.
Does anyone know a word (ending in ‑ist) that means a person who dislikes changes to language?
Best Answer
Prescriptivists are those who believe there is one 'right' way to speak/write a language. This typically includes a strong resistance to changes in language brought about by popular usage.